


Touch

by Graideds



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Anxiety, Ever - Freeform, M/M, can you tell, five times + one thing, here she go, i have ever written, im slightly salty abt bbc, this is the fluffiest fucking shit, youll be able to tell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-11 22:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7072981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graideds/pseuds/Graideds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Josh comforted Tyler + one time Tyler comforted Josh</p>
            </blockquote>





	Touch

**Author's Note:**

> ay hit me up on tumblr @blvrredtyler and give me requests i will literally write anything

"I don't want to go on stage."

"Hey, everyone here loves you, man," Josh says. "They're going to love you even if you break down and tell them you don't want to be up there. Anyway, they all paid money to see us. We owe it to them," he says. He doesn't want to go out either. He doesn't want Tyler to point him out, doesn't want to climb up on everyone and see the adoration in their eyes. He wants to lay on the couch and scroll through his phone with Tyler on the ground below him, sometimes messing with his hair and asking him to let it grow out, even though he knows it's fruitless.

Tyler doesn't say anything. He grabs his sunglasses and his ski mask and his kimono. Josh doesn't, since it'll be too hot. Tyler doesn't scream and jump as much, even if he's as involved with everyone as ever. Josh tries not to fall off of his little platform during Ride. 

The show ends with them in a good enough mood, but they still sit in Josh's bunk at the end of the tour bus together, Tyler's head resting on Josh's heart and Josh's hand twined in his hair. Nobody bothers them, except when Tyler asks for his notebook from Mark. He shifts around until Josh is only partly hanging out of the bunk and Tyler's squished against the wall, but he doesn't complain, just lays on his side and closes his eyes and listens to his disturbed breathing as he cries and writes.

"I always feel so awful when...," Tyler breathes. He doesn't bother to finish, because he knows Josh knows what he's saying and he doesn't really want to talk a whole lot right now. The noise of their crew loading up the instruments and props booms through the walls of the RV. Josh just grabs him and pulls him close, feels his hands as they mess with the ring he'd gotten him as a joke against his chest and how he goes to curl up into him, but tries to lengthen himself out, aware that they're in a bunk but wanting to be enveloped by Josh. Josh knows the feeling.

"You're just human for it," he replies, thinking it's a terrible attempt at comforting him, but Tyler still nods and takes a deep breath.

"I guess."

//////

"They don't like it, Josh," Tyler says, quietly, irritatedly.

"We've still got a lot of stuff to do, and we haven't even gotten a producer to look at it," Josh offers, trying to get him to stop worrying about it. They'd played the music a week ago for their families, and they... hadn't been the biggest fans of it, per se, but they hadn't condemned the music and the synth sounds they had spent the past few years making. 

Josh doesn't feel all that great about it, either. He'd known there was just something missing from three or four songs, but Tyler had seemed happy with them, so it's not like he was going to stir the waters. But maybe he had actually caught onto something.

"We haven't released it yet, at least. This was a focus group, I guess? We can make it even better," he says. Tyler just looks at him. Josh knows he can't really think right now, that trying to rationalize things would be a waste of time for him. 

He walks over to him from his position leaning against the kitchen counter and pulls him into a hug. Tyler clutches onto his back immediately and starts crying silently. "I just really wanted them to like it," he says. Josh puts a hand between his shoulder blades and rubs his back, up and down, smooth and slow. 

"I... did too," he whispers. Tyler sags against him. It's a little awkward because he's taller than Josh and he stumbles back with the sudden weight, but he manages to get them situated, Tyler's forehead resting down on his shoulder and Josh just staying quiet.

Eventually, Josh gathers Tyler up into his arms and walks them into the back of the apartment. He offers his simple presence and the occasional glass of water, and Tyler clutches to his shirt like his life depends on it when he settles back between the sheets. Josh just keeps his hands tangled in his hair, occasionally running them along the brown strands.

//////

"I don't - she wouldn't stop staring at me, Josh," Tyler cries quietly, his hands in his hair and his sunglasses on so that no one can see his red, puffy eyes. Josh twitches his leg underneath the table, unsure of what to do again. He never knows what to do. He hates it. He wishes he could be good for Tyler.

"She's not here anymore, though, babe," Josh whispers, and reaches for one of Tyler's hands. As soon as Tyler feels Josh's touch, he lets his hand slam against the table. Josh traces his fingers over his palm.

"She was, though," Tyler says, a bit softer. Josh knows he's helping. 

"Why did I do that? Why would I do that? I'm so fucking embarrassing," he says. "I don't know why you keep me around," he says, then laughs. 

Josh taps his index finger along the tips of Tyler's fingers, then curls his hand over them. Tyler lets out a breath when he does, and then looks up at him.

"You did that because you have every right to be as loud as you want to," Josh says, "and you could never be embarrassing, baby boy," he says. He undoes their hands and brings Tyler's up, kisses him on his ring finger, unable to make eye contact. He glances up as he does it, though. Tyler's eyebrows have raised in the middle and he starts crying more. Josh panics for a moment.

"Have I ever told you that I loved you?" Tyler asks, his voice wavering. Josh grins. 

//////

"They cut off my mic," Tyler says, quietly, still processing. Josh can't stop the fresh anger and embarrassment he'd felt on the stage from clenching his jaw and making him grab Tyler's hand.

"They told me to stop drumming," he mutters back quietly, and rubs his thumb absentmindedly across Tyler's hand. Tyler grips his tightly. 

They don't say anything on their way to the trailer, and just smile for pictures with fans who have been waiting at their bus. Josh tells everyone to wait outside for twenty minutes discreetly, using a signal that he and Tyler have made for each other and the crew. Tyler doesn't catch it, miraculously.

As soon as Josh closes the door, Tyler's reaching shaking hands for him, and Josh humors him by stepping into his space and leaning his forehead against his. "They knew I would climb," he whispers. Josh can feel his breath across his lips.

"They probably just didn't research," Josh whispers back. Tyler smiles, bittersweet, tears still glistening in his eyes. He tilts his head up and presses a kiss against Josh's lips. Josh brings his hands from Tyler's hips and catches the back of his neck before he can pull away, pulling him even closer to him as he works his mouth against his.

The kiss becomes desperate and emotional as Josh feels tears running along their slotted lips, too focused on making Tyler feel better to care about the possibility that his tears are getting in his mouth. Tyler chokes out a sob and breaks their lips, while Josh lowers his hands and touches the back of Tyler's thighs as he squats down. Tyler jumps on his hips, and Josh sits them down on the small couch the bus has after he brushes a few chip bags and Taco Bell wrappers out of the way. Tyler rests his head against Josh's collarbone.

God, he feels so awful. One, for the clique; they had paid, apparently, for BBC to cut Tyler's mic and their show. For Josh and Tyler to walk out.

Tyler starts to run his hands along Josh's shoulders, moving to his pecs and then his stomach. It's a great distraction. Josh is familiar with it, familiar with how Tyler grounds himself, and lets himself relax under the touch, tries to wipe his mind clean of his thoughts and focus on Tyler's fingers. His touch slides underneath his shirt after a bit. His side twitches a little bit when Tyler reaches it, but Tyler just keeps his hands there for a while, until they're both uncomfortably warm from the added proximity and he slips his hands out from Josh's shirt. He's sat on Josh's lap, his spine bent awkwardly outwards and his head resting against Josh's heartbeat. He does that a lot.

"Thanks," Tyler says. Josh doesn't know why he's thanking him, when he's the one who distracted Josh, this time, but hums a response regardless. 

When everyone walks in, a chorus of 'ew's sounds and Tyler grins and stands up, only to pull Josh to him and lay a messy and entirely smug kiss on him. Their groans increase in volume. Tyler just smiles.

//////

Josh peppers kisses around Tyler's wrist. "I - I don't know why I'm - "

"It's okay. We all do it from time to time."

"Nothing bad even _happened_ today. It was a good day," Tyler groans, through the tears falling down his face. Josh reaches over and thumbs away the tears he can, then gathers Tyler up in his lap. Tyler straddles him and settles his head into his shoulder. It's becoming a habit of his.

"You're okay," Josh mutters, not really sure how to help, but he knows what he'd want said if he was in the situation. "No one is judging you. Let it out," he says. Tyler grips his sides like he's going to float away if he doesn't hold on tight enough. When the pressure gets to be a little too much, Josh winces. His fingers loosen almost immediately, and he sits up. 

"Fuck, I'm sorry, I'm sorry - "

"Hey, man, don't worry about it," Josh cuts him off, and raises himself up from leaning against the wall behind their shared hotel bed to where Tyler is. "You're good," he adds. Tyler closes his eyes and looks down, but Josh tips his chin up. "And I wouldn't have you any other way, okay? They're just bruises, babe. They're not as important as you," he says.

Tyler shakes his head. "You're too good to me," he whispers, and rests his forehead against Josh's. Josh closes the distance between their lips, and Tyler shakes apart underneath him.

//////

"Of course you're good enough for me, you've helped me through so much, Josh," Tyler panics. "I'd probably be six feet under the ground if it weren't for you," he adds, intertwining their fingers. Josh's grip is weak, even if it is there. 

"But you still - you're still so sad, I don't know what to do - "

"Just... be patient," Tyler says, and pulls him to his chest. "I know I'm taking a while. I'm sorry," he says. Josh slings his arms around his torso, a motion Tyler knows that means he shouldn't be sorry. He still is, though, seeing the toll it's taking on Josh.

"Okay," Josh says, still crying into Tyler's chest. Tyler lets him lay there for as long as he needs to, and takes care of him all through the following day. Josh doesn't say anything, but Tyler still brings him water.

Josh stops crying halfway through the day, but near the evening just before they're going to sleep, he starts sobbing more uncontrollably than before. Tyler turns around from his position as the little spoon and starts kissing him, assuming he's been in his head too much and needs to be grounded.

Josh pushes forward desperately with the kiss, moving Tyler at least a foot back in the bed but still not caring. Tyler can't think about anything else but how hot it is, and presses himself closer to him. Josh breaks back from the kiss, still crying, not breaking eye contact.

"I love you too much," he sniffles. Tyler beams at him.


End file.
